Fighting chance for Pakatan if voter turnout exceeds 70%: Salahuddin

MUAR – Pakatan Harapan (PH) would have a fighting chance in securing enough seats to form a new Johor government, provided that the voter turnout at the upcoming state polls exceeds 70%, a coalition leader asserted.

Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who is deputy president of PH component party Amanah, said this target has driven his party and the coalition as a whole to ramp up their efforts in encouraging those living outside of the state to return home and cast their ballots.

“If it comes to about 70%, we believe we can win. There will be a good chance, a good fight by PH,” he said in an interview with The Vibes.

Salahuddin said PH is confident of reversing its dismal performance in the Melaka election on November 20, when the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) dominated the polls by winning with over a two-thirds majority.

PH only won five of the 28 seats up for grabs. Four of the seats were won by candidates from DAP, while one was secured by an Amanah candidate.

Salahuddin argued that Umno’s victory in Melaka should not be seen as a shift in voter sentiment, but was instead caused by the low voter turnout.

Their votes were there because they had their vote banks. So, in such situations, support for Umno is easy to read.

“That is why we must ensure those living outside will come back to vote. We also have massive campaigning being done to persuade all our friends, especially those in the Chinese community, to find their way home to vote,” he said.

Voter fatigue behind BN’s sweeping victory in state polls?

There are concerns about voter fatigue creeping in among the electorate following consecutive state elections over the past several months, taking place in Melaka, Sarawak, and now Johor.

Such fatigue could arguably have been the main reason behind BN’s clean sweeps in Melaka and their allies Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s triumph in the Borneo state on December 18.

However, analysts have highlighted that these past two victories by BN and its allies were also amid lower voter turnout, with just under 66% voter turnout in Melaka and about 61% in Sarawak.

The Election Commission had earlier this month said that it expects a voter turnout rate of around 70% in Johor, which for the first time, will include voters aged 18 and above, following the implementation of the Undi18 legislation at the turn of the year. 

Johoreans confident about going out despite rising Covid-19 cases: Salahuddin

Salahuddin expressed optimism for a good turnout rate at the upcoming election, saying his observations have shown that people are now more open to coming out in public amid the consistent threat of Covid-19.

He said he hopes such sentiments would remain among voters up until polling day.

“The situation in Johor is that even though Covid-19 numbers are increasing every day, the situation in the coffee shops and supermarkets is that people are coming out more.

“The fear is not the same as it was during the Melaka elections, so we are confident many will come back to vote,” he said.

Simpang Jeram ‘wise enough to judge my service’

On prospects for the Simpang Jeram state seat in Muar, the incumbent candidate said his service here over the last four years should speak for itself among the voters.

He noted that the constituency’s demographics are made up of about 56% Malays, 44% Chinese, and 2% Indians. 

“I did my best in terms of my service to the rakyat, where all the funds I received were used and distributed to the people who needed them. So I think I will let the people judge me.

“I am very confident the people of Johor, and especially in Simpang Jeram, are wise enough to see and judge my service here,” he said.

What has become of the opposition’s ‘big tent’ concept?

Salahuddin also lamented that opposition parties have to compete against each other, specifically referring to youth-based party Muda. 

Asked about Muda fielding a candidate in the Larkin state constituency to create a clash with PKR, which is a PH component party, he conceded that it is Muda’s right to contest as it wished.

He explained that discussions with Muda were held until late Friday night to try to avoid the clash with PKR for the constituency in Johor Baru. 

As a new party, Muda is reminded to clearly distinguish between its enemies and its allies.

In any battle or war, you must know who your enemy is and who your friends are,” Salahuddin said. 

“Muda must remember that we have been together since day one. And even though PKR this time is using its own symbol, we all must understand that we are under the opposition, and PKR is our friend. 

“So, for what has happened in Larkin, our stand is very clear that we will support PKR,” he said.

‘We won’t touch Muda’

In April last year, the PH leadership had introduced a “big tent” approach, referring to a policy of permitting or encouraging a broad spectrum of views among its members.

It was intended to rope in and unite more Malaysians from various layers of society, regardless of their political stances, to regain parliamentary democracy and end Parliament’s continued suspension.

Salahuddin, a former federal minister, stressed that the situation does not mean PH and its components would campaign against Muda.

We won’t touch Muda. We are not going to fight openly with Muda in front of the public; officially, we have mentioned it very clearly. We will support PKR because we are under PH.

“I am very sorry,” he added in a public apology over the drama in Larkin.

When asked if PH, Muda and another new outfit, Pejuang, could cooperate to form the state government should they win enough seats, Salahuddin took on a more reconcilable tone.

“In politics, for leaders especially, you must have a big heart and a clear vision of what you want to do for this country. 

“You can never say die. Things change every day, so we will have to wait and see what happens, because in the way of the local political scene, that is possible,” he said, on PH’s possibility of teaming up with fellow opposition parties outside the coalition.

Johor voters will go to the polls on March 12, with early voting set for March 8.

Candidates are vying for votes from a total of 2.59 million eligible balloters, for a total of 56 state seats. – The Vibes, February 27, 2022